Ottawa County race resultsThe Ottawa County Board of Commissioners had two contested Republican primary races this week.In the 8th District (Allendale Township and part of Robinson Township...

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Ottawa County race results

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners had two contested Republican primary races this week.

In the 8th District (Allendale Township and part of Robinson Township), incumbent Greg DeJong easily won out over challenger David Lee Morren with 78 to 22 percent of the vote. In the 5th District (Hudsonville, Jamestown and Blendon townships and part of Zeeland Township), left open by Jim Holtrop’s departure, Mike Haverdink took home 69 percent of the vote, compared to James Miedema’s 25 percent and John Carter O’Brien’s 5 percent.

In Allegan County Commissioner Jon Campbell retained his 6th District seat with 57 percent of the vote to challenger Bill Sage’s 43 percent.

Countywide millages for senior services and 911 passed by more than 2:1. A fire-road-bike path-drain millage passed by nearly 70 percent in Laketown Township, and an Overisel Township road construction millage by 73 percent.

In Allegan County’s 80th District, it was a nail-biter to the end, but tea party activist Cindy Gamrat came out ahead with 40 percent of the vote and a double-digit win.

Fellow Republicans Mary Whiteford, of South Haven, and Stephen Schulz, of Allegan, took 29 and 26 percent of the vote, respectively, and Randy Brink, of Saugatuck, had a little more than 4 percent of the vote.

“My political life has just begun,” Whiteford said. “I just want to be a voice for people and I think I could do a good job for people. I don’t know what my future holds, but I’m a very positive person, so I’ll think of something.”

Gamrat will face Democrat Geoff Parker, of Otsego, who was unopposed in his primary, in November.

“We’re really excited. We worked really, really hard. The credit goes to God and to the volunteers and especially to my family who have sacrificed so much for these values and principles they believe in and want to see represented in Lansing,” Gamrat said Wednesday.

Between now and Nov. 4, Gamrat said she intends to keep knocking on voters’ doors.

“This is the first step. It was a big one, it was an important step,” she said. “There’s still some months left and some voters I haven’t met yet.”

The 80th District seat is being vacated by Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck, under term limits. It includes all of Allegan County except Leighton, Dorr and Wayland townships.

“If you look at my voting record and what Cindy (Gamrat) espouses, they’re real close to each other,” Genetski said.